‘I’m breaking up with you! All you do is talk about yourself. You never listen to what I want.'
A scribbled post-it note strategically placed in my eyeline at work for the last 15+years. A note that many colleagues who happened to glance over my shoulder, believed it to be a prepared script for an unceremonious breakup, by phone, at work. Harsh!
Well I suppose it is kind of a prepared script, or at least a purposeful reminder I repeatedly use when creating marketing messages, stories and content. No matter if the messages are for strategy papers, social posts or website copy.
Marketing key messages
Like any healthy relationship, both parties involved should have a mutual respect for one another. And it’s the same for a business to its consumer. To understand why the consumer should care about you, what's in it for them, what do they need to know about you to make their life better.
Combine this with powerful storytelling: the enticement, to engage and leave them wanting more… BOOM! It's love or lust (depending if you provide a FMCG)!
Creating effective messaging
Whether you work with an agency or freelance copywriter, in my experience I have always found it is better to develop marketing strategies, messages, straplines and campaigns from individuals who are not directly connected to the bottom line or the nuts and bolts of the business. Yes, of course the individual requires a decent understanding of your brand purpose, the product, service and audience but importantly is one step removed.
This helps to see both sides, to lift your head up and step outside the box. What will resonate, what has the emotive pull, and most importantly what will have the strongest purchasing power.
Written by Rosina.